STK-3Fb Stalker for Battletech

The Stalker was first produced in 2594 as a heavy assault BattleMech for the Reunification War. The engineers and designers at Triad Technologies created the Stalker to be a heavily-armored weapons platform capable of handling combat at any range and absorbing a tremendous amount of punishment. Although among the slowest 'Mechs ever built, the Stalker was still fast enough to keep up with other assault 'Mechs and lead major advances, using its firepower to blast holes in the enemy's lines. Its heavy armor and armament also makes it well-suited for urban combat. Indeed a favorite tactic developed by Stalker pilots was to lie in wait inside a building until an enemy 'Mech passed by, then crash through the wall and emerge onto the street behind them.

For nearly two hundred years, the Stalker remained in service in the Star League Defense Force as a workhorse assault 'Mech until the fall of the Star League, where it continued in the same capacity for another two hundred years in service to the Successor States. It also remained in continuous production during this time for, when Triad Technologies was destroyed in the Succession Wars, both Irian BattleMechs Unlimited and Trellshire Heavy Industries began producing Stalkers at their factories on Shiro III and Twycross respectively. Both the Free Worlds League and Lyran Commonwealth were thus able to maintain the largest number of Stalkers in their arsenals, but still the 'Mech was so common throughout the Inner Sphere and Periphery that some pilots lost their fear of it (at least until they had to face one in combat).

Its long career also led to a large number of variants, one of the most common being removing ten to fifteen tons of weaponry in order to lighten the strain on its increasingly older, battle-worn skeleton. This created at least one subvariant that effectively rebuilds the Stalker as a 75-ton 'Mech. (See Notes below.)

Starting in the late 3040s, Irian began utilizing newly-recovered lost technology to update the original design, improving upon its weaponry and armor and increasing its heat management capabilities. These new STK-5M models were fielded in time to take part in the Clan Invasion, although even with their upgrades they were sorely tested by the Clans' OmniMechs. The Federated Commonwealth also produced their own variant, the STK-5S, although this was introduced towards the end of the invasion. New variants would continue to be produced in the wake of the FedCom Civil War, one for both of the split nations, and by Irian in an effort to further keep the design alive.

This Royal variant of the Stalker was introduced in 2705. It carries a Guardian ECM Suite in the center torso, upgrades the large lasers to extended range versions, and adds Artemis IV fire control systems to the LRM-15s that replace the Jackson LRM-10 launchers. The SRM-6 racks are gone, and the standard heat sinks were replaced with seventeen double heat sinks. Surviving examples of these variants left with Aleksandr Kerensky during Operation Exodus. BV (2.0) = 2,029

Model is printed in a grey resin and supplied with a base.

Mech design by Matt Mason.